Manual Bolt Action Latch Mechanism

ABSTRACT

In some embodiments, an apparatus can include a firearm and a bolt latch mechanism coupled to the firearm. The bolt latch mechanism may be configured to capture a bolt of the firearm after each discharge of the firearm. Further, the bolt latch mechanism may include a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round.

FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to firearms, such as bolt-action firearms, and more particularly to a manual bolt action latch mechanism for use with firearms and configured to catch a bolt, after ballistic discharge, and to secure the bolt a retracted or disengaged state until the user manually releases the bolt to chamber a next round.

BACKGROUND

Bolt-action firearms typically require manual cycling of the bolt or action after loading and before a first shot. Some firearms, perform steps necessary to prepare the firearm to discharge again after firing a shot, assuming the ballistic cartridges remain in the firearm's feed device (e.g., clip or other feed device). Preparation of the firearm for the next shot may include extracting and ejecting a spent cartridge case (or shell) from a firing chamber of the firearm, re-cocking the firing mechanism, and loading a new ballistic cartridge into the firing chamber.

In a bolt action firearm, after discharge, the user must manually chamber the next round. This manual action may also reset the sear. In some instances, the clip or other feed device may automatically insert the next round into the chamber, but the user may still need to manually move the bolt forward to advance the next round into a firing position.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, an apparatus can include a firearm and a bolt latch mechanism coupled to the firearm. The bolt latch mechanism may be configured to capture a bolt of the firearm after each discharge of the firearm. Further, the bolt latch mechanism may include a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round.

In other embodiments, an apparatus may include a firearm and a bolt latch mechanism between a trigger assembly and a buffer tube of the firearm. The bolt latch mechanism can be configured to automatically capture a bolt after each discharge of the firearm. In at least one aspect, the bolt latch mechanism can include a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round.

In still other embodiments, a method may include providing a bolt latch mechanism including a bolt latch extending into a path along which a bolt travels after each discharge of a firearm. The method may further include securing the bolt in a disengaged state after each discharge. In at least one aspect, the method may further include releasing the bolt in response to a manual selection of a latch release button associated with the bolt latch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a firearm including a manual bolt action latch mechanism, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A depicts a side view of a firing assembly of the firearm of FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B depicts a cross-sectional view of the firing assembly taken along line B-B in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A depicts a perspective view of the firing assembly of the firearm of FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B depicts an expanded view of a portion of the firing assembly of FIG. 3A including a manual bolt action latch button, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a bottom view of the firing assembly of FIGS. 1-2A and 3A, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of the firing assembly of FIGS. 1-2A, 3A, 4 and 5, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of capturing a bolt of a firing mechanism to provide a manual bolt action, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

In the following discussion, the same reference numbers are used in the various embodiments to indicate the same or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a manual bolt action latch mechanism may include a bolt latch mechanism including a bolt latch and a user-accessible element (such as a button or a lever) configured to control the bolt latch. The bolt latch may be configured to engage a bolt and to secure the bolt in a retracted position after each discharge of a firearm. The lever may be accessed by a user to manually release the bolt latch to allow the firearm to chamber a next round. In some embodiments, the bolt latch mechanism may include a spring element configured to bias the bolt latch toward the bolt and to push the bolt latch into a bolt engagement position when the bolt moves away from the firing chamber after discharge.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a firearm 100 including a manual bolt action latch mechanism, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The firearm 100 may include a smart scope 102 coupled to a firearm 104. The firearm 104 may include a stock 106, a grip 108, a trigger assembly 110, a target selection button 112, a clip 114, and a clip receptacle 116. The stock 106 may define an enclosure sized to secure a power supply (such as one or more batteries) as well as power management circuitry. The batteries and power management circuitry are generally indicated at 118. The trigger assembly 110 may include circuitry including a solenoid or other electrical component that may be configured to block the sear to prevent discharge of the firearm 104 in a safety mode and to control timing of the discharge of the firearm 104 based on a control signal from the smart scope 102.

In a particular embodiment, the smart scope 102 may include circuitry including optical sensors configured to capture optical data corresponding to a view area of the scope (which may be more extensive than the aim point of the firearm 104), a range finder circuit configured to determine a range to one or more objects within the field of view, environmental sensors, and motion and orientation sensors configured to provide sensor signals corresponding to an aim point of a firearm. The circuitry may further include a display, an interface through which a user may select a target within the optical data, and circuitry configured to calculate a ballistic solution for the selected target. The circuitry may also include circuitry configured to predict when the aim point of the firearm 104 may intersect the selected target and to provide a control signal to the trigger circuitry 120 of the trigger assembly 110 of the firearm 104 to control timing of the discharge. In particular, the circuitry may control timing of the discharge by preventing discharge while the trigger is pulled until the ballistic solution indicates that the discharged ballistic will intersect the target based on the predicted intersection of the ballistic reticle with the selected target, the ballistic flight dynamics, environmental conditions, and so on.

In some embodiments, the smart scope 102 may provide an initial reticle, which the user may utilize to view and select a target. Target selection may include aligning the aiming reticle to the target and depressing and/or releasing a button to “tag” or select a target. In some embodiments, a processor within the smart scope 102 may place a visual marker on the selected target within the display data in response to the target selection operation. Further, in response to the target selection, the processor within the smart scope 102 may determine a range to the target as well as the incline, direction, and environmental conditions. The smart scope 102 may calculate a ballistic solution for the selected target and may provide a ballistic reticle (replacing the aiming reticle) that reflects the calculated ballistics solution, such that the view area provided on the display of the smart scope 102 may reflect the impact location of the ballistic if the firearm 104 is discharged. Depending on the range and the environmental conditions, the ballistic reticle may reflect bullet drop and the displayed area may shift to reflect the ballistic solution, such that the selected target may no longer be presented in the field of view. In particular, the optical sensors of the smart scope 102 may capture a wider and larger view area than that presented on the display within the smart scope 102, allowing the smart scope 102 to continue tracking the selected target (moving the tag to remain on the target as the target moves), even while the selected target is not presented on the display within the smart scope 102. One the user visually reacquires the selected target within the view area of the smart scope 102, the user may attempt to align the ballistic reticle to the selected target by aiming the firearm 104 while viewing the ballistic reticle through the scope 102.

In some embodiments, the smart scope 102 cooperates with the trigger circuitry 120 to provide a fire control system that guides the release of ordnance to virtually eliminate misaiming, mistiming, and jitter related errors. In a particular embodiment, the fire control system may control discharge to precisely release the shot within 0.5 inches of a designated aim point on a selected target at distances over half of a mile away. In an example, if the user pulls the trigger of the firearm 104 and the ballistic reticle is not aligned to the digital tag previously applied to the target, the smart scope 102 may send a signal to the trigger circuitry 120 to prevent discharge. At a precise time when the smart scope 102 predicts that the ballistic site will intersect the digital tag on the target (based on motion sensor signals and optionally based on optical processing), the smart scope 102 may release the trigger circuitry to allow discharge, and the guided trigger is released to respond to the user's trigger pull.

The system 100 may include a connector 122 configured to couple the trigger circuitry 120 to circuitry within the smart scope 102, which scope circuitry is generally indicated at 124. The smart scope 102 may include a viewing lens 126 through which a user may view a display associated with the circuitry 124. The smart scope 102 may further include an optical receiver (such as an objective lens and associated optical sensors) generally indicated at 128, laser range finding circuitry generally indicated at 130, a weather station 134, and a microphone 136. In some embodiments, the laser range finding circuitry 130 may direct laser beams 132 toward a barrel reference site 133 and may receive reflected light from the barrel reference site 133 to automatically align the smart scope 102 to the firearm 104.

In the illustrated example, the firearm 104 may include a manual bolt action latch mechanism, which may be accessed by a lever or button 140 and which may be configured to disengage a bolt latch inside of the firearm 104. The firearm 104 further includes a bolt 142, a chambered shell 144, and a spring 146 (shown in phantom), which may be part of a buffer tube. When the firearm 104 is discharged, the expansion gas from the discharge of the ballistics propels the bolt 142 toward the stock 106, compressing the spring 146. When the bolt 142 retreats behind the bolt latch, a spring of the bolt latch assembly pushes the bolt latch into an engagement position, which secures the bolt 142 in a compressed (retracted or disengaged) position. The user may then press the lever or button 140 to release the bolt 142, allowing the spring 146 to push the bolt 142 into engagement with the next round (or shell 144) to enable a next shot.

In a particular embodiment, an apparatus may include the firearm 104 and a bolt latch mechanism coupled to the firearm and configured to capture the bolt 142 of the firearm 104 after each discharge event. The bolt latch mechanism can include a latch release button 140 accessible by a user to release the bolt 142 to chamber a next round. In some embodiments (as shown, for example, in FIG. 2B), the bolt latch mechanism can include a spring configured to engage a spring interface portion of the bolt latch and may include a fastener configured to couple the bolt latch mechanism to a housing. The fastener may define a pivot point about which the spring biases the bolt latch into a path along which the bolt moves after the discharge. In some embodiment, the bolt latch mechanism can include a latch stop configured to engage a lower surface of a housing to limit a distance the bolt latch extends into the path of the bolt 144.

It should be appreciated that the manual bolt action latch mechanism may utilize a Hall affect sensor or other sensor in communication with the trigger circuitry 120 to determine the relative state of the bolt latch. In some embodiments, the trigger circuitry 120 may monitor a state of the bolt latch based on signals from the sensor and may lock the trigger assembly to prevent discharge of the firearm 104 unless the bolt latch state changes to engage the bolt 142 after each discharge. Other embodiments are also possible.

FIG. 2A depicts a side view of a portion of a firing assembly 200 of the firearm of FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The firing assembly 200 may include a housing 202 including an opening 204 configured to receive a front takedown pin and an opening 206 configured to receive a rear takedown pin. The clip receptacle 116 is formed in the housing 202 and sized to receive the clip 114.

As shown, the firing assembly 200 may include an opening 210 sized to receive a trigger mechanism, including a trigger shoe configured to selectively release a firing pin. The firing assembly 200 may further include a buffer tube attachment opening 208 configured to attach to a cylindrical buffer tube including a spring. Additionally, the firing assembly may include a manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 including a bolt latch and a bolt latch release button 140.

In certain embodiments, in response to discharge of the firearm 104, a bolt may be propelled toward the stock of the firearm 104, through an opening in the buffer tube attachment opening 208 and into the buffer tube, compressing the spring. After the bolt slides past the manual bolt action latch mechanism 240, a spring (252 in FIG. 2B) causes the bolt latch (254 in FIG. 2B) to move upward, blocking the bolt from returning to chamber the next round. Though the spring within the buffer tube is compressed and applying a force to the bolt, the bolt latch 254 holds the bolt in place and the spring in compression. The user may then press the bolt latch release button 140, causing the bolt latch 254 to move down and releasing the bolt to allow the spring of the buffer tube to push the bolt toward the muzzle of the firearm 104 to chamber a next round. The manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 prevents the firearm 104 from chambering a next round until the user decides to manually move the bolt action latch button 140. FIG. 2B depicts a cross-sectional view 250 of the firing assembly 200 taken along line B-B in FIG. 2A. The cross-sectional view depicts the housing 202 including the opening 210 sized to receive the trigger assembly. In some embodiments, the housing 202 defines an enclosure 256 sized to receive the manual bolt action latch mechanism 240. The manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 may include a blocking lever 254 pivotally coupled to the housing 202 by a pin or bolt 258. The enclosure 256 may include a further recess immediately beneath the blocking lever 254 to allow the blocking lever 254 to recede below an upper surface 260 of the housing 202 when the bolt action latch button 140 is pressed. Further, the housing 202 may include a spring 252 configured to bias the blocking latch 254 into a bolt blocking position or state.

In response to pressing of the bolt action latch button 140, a spring within a buffer tube (near the stock or butt of the firearm 104) attached to the buffer tube attachment opening 208 may push the bolt toward the clip or magazine to chamber a next ballistic round. Once the bolt action latch button 104 is released, the spring 252 within the housing 202 may push the bolt latch 254 into a blocking state until the next shot is fired.

After the firearm 104 is discharged, the bolt may accelerate away from the chamber toward the spring within the buffer tube pushing the blocking lever 254 down into the recess as it advances toward the buffer tube. Once the bolt moves past the blocking lever 254, a spring 252 within the housing 202 pushes the blocking lever 254 into a blocking state. The manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 may further include a spring 252 within the housing 202 and configured to compress in response to pressing of the bolt action latch button 140 so that when the bolt action latch button 140 is released and the bolt moves away from contacting the upper portion of the blocking lever 254, the spring 252 may push the blocking lever 254 into a catch position so that it catches the bolt before the bolt can advance to chamber a next round. Thus, to chamber a next round, reset the firing mechanism, and fire a next round, the user has to push the bolt action latch button 140 to release the bolt.

FIG. 3A depicts a perspective view 300 of the firing assembly 200 of FIG. 2, which may be mounted to the firearm 104 of FIG. 1, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The firing assembly 200 includes all of the elements of FIGS. 2A and 2B. Further, the manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 may include a bolt latch 254 coupled to the bolt latch release button 140 and configured to pivot about a pivot axis defined by a pin or bolt 304. The manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 may include a latch mechanism housing 302 coupled to a lateral surface of the housing 202. Further, the pin or bolt 304 may extend through the latch mechanism housing 302, through spacers 306, and through an opening at a base of the bolt latch release button 140 to provide the pivot functionality.

FIG. 3B depicts an expanded view 340 of a portion of the firing assembly 200 of FIG. 3A including a manual bolt action latch button 140, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the latch mechanism housing 302 extends in a direction that is substantially normal from a lateral surface of the housing 202 to provide an enclosure for the spring 252 and for the bolt release button 140.

In the expanded view 340, the shape of the bolt latch 254 can be seen. A “chamber side” 342 of the bolt latch 254 defines an obtuse angle relative to a plane in which the bolt travels and from a direction of the chamber, allowing the force of the recoil of the bolt to push the bolt latch 254 down as the bolt traverses the slope. In contrast, a “stop” side 344 of the bolt latch 254 defines an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to the plane in which the bolt travels, providing a stop surface to resist movement of the bolt in a forward direction to chamber a next round. Thus, the bolt latch 254 may secure the bolt in a recessed state against the stop side 344 of the bolt latch 254, but does not stop the movement of the bolt after discharge of the firearm 104. Further, the force of the bolt may push the bolt latch 254 down and into the housing, compressing the spring 252 until the bolt moves out of contact with the bolt latch 254. Once the bolt moves away from contact, the spring 252 returns the bolt latch 254 to a blocking state.

In some embodiments, an apparatus can include a firearm 104 and a bolt latch mechanism or manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 coupled to the firearm 104. The bolt latch mechanism may be configured to capture a bolt of the firearm 104 after each discharge. The bolt latch mechanism can include a latch release button 140 accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round. In some embodiments, the bolt latch mechanism 240 can include a spring 252 configured to engage a spring interface portion (element 404 in FIG. 4) of the bolt latch 254. Further, the bolt latch mechanism 240 may include a fastener (pin or bolt 304) configured to couple the bolt latch mechanism 240 to a housing 302. The fastener 304 may define a pivot point about which the spring 252 biases the bolt latch 254 into a path along which the bolt moves after the discharge. As shown in FIG. 4, the bolt latch mechanism 240 can include a latch stop 402 configured to engage a lower surface of a housing 202 to limit a distance the bolt latch 254 extends into the path.

The bolt latch mechanism may include a first side (chamber side 342) having a slope defining an obtuse angle relative to a path traveled by the bolt of the firearm 104 after each discharge. The slope of the first side (chamber side 342) may translate a force applied to the first side by the bolt into a downward force on the bolt latch 254 to cause the bolt latch 254 to retract.

The bolt latch mechanism can include the second side (stop side 344) extending in a direction that is substantially normal relative to the path traveled by the bolt of the firearm 104 after each discharge. The second side can be configured to engage and secure the bolt in a disengaged state.

FIG. 4 depicts a bottom view 400 of the firing assembly 200 of FIGS. 1-2A and 3A, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The bottom view 400 includes all of the elements of the perspective view 300 of FIG. 3. Further, from the underside of the firing assembly 200, the bolt latch 254 may include a latch stop 402 configured to engage a bottom portion of the housing 202 to limit the movement of the bolt latch 254. Further, a bottom portion of the bolt latch 254 may include a spring interface 404 configured to engage an end of the spring 252. In some embodiments, the spring interface 404 may be wider than the bolt latch 254 to provide a surface to engage the spring 252.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view 500 of the firing assembly 200 of FIGS. 1-2A, 3A, 4, and 5, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. From this front view, the buffer tube attachment opening 208 includes a threaded attachment feature 502 configured to engage a buffer tube that includes a spring. Further, it can be seen that the bolt latch 254 extends within the interior diameter of the bolt latch 254. As shown, the bolt latch 254 may include a sloped portion 504. When the bolt latch release button 140 is pressed, the bolt latch 254 pivots about the pin or bolt 304 such that the bolt latch 254 moves along a path 506. When the bolt latch release button 140 is pressed, the sloped portion 504 shifts to the left, reducing the extent of the bolt latch 254 that extends within the interior diameter of the buffer tube attachment opening 208.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of a method 600 of capturing a bolt of a firing mechanism to provide a manual bolt action, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. At 602, the method 600 may include retracting a bolt latch into a housing in response to a bolt latch button press. In response to the button press, the bolt latch may retract, allowing a bolt biased by a spring in a buffer tube to return to a firing position in order to chamber the next round.

At 604, the method 600 may include biasing the bolt latch into a bolt catch position when the button is released. As discussed above, a spring within the housing 202 and in contact with the spring interface 404 to bias the bolt latch 254 into position. The latch stop 402 may prevent the bolt latch 254 from extending too far above the surface on which the bolt latch 254 travels.

At 606, the method 600 can include catching and securing the bolt in a disengaged state to prevent automatic chambering of a next round after discharge. As previously discussed, the discharge may cause the bolt to slide toward the stock and into the buffer tube that includes a spring and the bolt latch may catch the bolt against the stop surface to prevent the bolt from sliding forward to chamber the next round.

At 608, the method 600 can include retracting the bolt latch to release the bolt in response to a bolt latch button press. In some embodiments, pressing the bolt latch release button 140 may cause the bolt latch to retract into the housing to allow the spring in the buffer tube to push the bolt forward to chamber the next round. The method 600 may then return to 604 to bias the bolt latch into a bolt catch position when the button is released.

In certain embodiments, the bolt latch operates to catch the bolt after each firearm discharge, thereby preventing the firearm from chambering a next round automatically. The user may then interact with the bolt latch release button to manually release the bolt to chamber the next round.

In conjunction with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-6, a manual bolt action latch mechanism is described that includes a bolt latch configured to pivot out of a path of a bolt as the bolt moves toward the stock or butt of the firearm after discharge and to move back into the path of the bolt to prevent the bolt from moving forward to chamber the next round. Instead, the bolt latch is configured to catch the bolt, requiring manual interaction with a bolt latch release button to again pivot the bolt latch out of the path of the bolt, allowing the bolt to move forward to chamber the next round. Other embodiments are also possible.

In some embodiments, a Hall affect sensor or another sensor may be configured to detect a position of the bolt latch release button or of the bolt latch itself. A control circuit of the trigger assembly may be configured to prevent discharge of the firearm if the bolt latch fails to capture the bolt between shots. Other embodiments are also possible.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. An apparatus comprising: a firearm; a magazine including a plurality of rounds of ammunition; and a bolt latch mechanism coupled to the firearm and configured to capture a bolt of the firearm after each discharge of the firearm, the bolt latch mechanism including a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round of ammunition.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bolt latch mechanism includes: a spring configured to engage a spring interface portion of the bolt latch mechanism; and a fastener configured to couple the bolt latch mechanism to a housing, the fastener defining a pivot point about which the spring biases the bolt latch into a path along which the bolt moves after each discharge of the firearm.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bolt latch mechanism further includes a latch stop configured to engage a lower surface of the housing to limit a distance the bolt latch mechanism extends into the path of the bolt.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bolt latch mechanism includes a first side having a slope defining an obtuse angle relative to a path traveled by the bolt of the firearm after each discharge of the firearm.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the slope translates a force from movement of the bolt into a downward force applied to the bolt latch mechanism to cause the bolt latch to retract.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the bolt latch mechanism includes a second side extending in a direction that is substantially normal relative to the path traveled by the bolt of the firearm after each discharge of the firearm.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second side is configured to engage and secure the bolt in a disengaged state.
 8. An apparatus comprising: a firearm; a magazine including a plurality of rounds of ammunition; and a bolt latch mechanism between a trigger assembly and a buffer tube of the firearm, the bolt latch mechanism configured to automatically capture a bolt after each discharge of the firearm to prevent the bolt from automatically chambering a next round of ammunition.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bolt latch mechanism further includes a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber the next round of ammunition.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bolt latch mechanism includes a bolt latch having a chamber side and a bolt stop side, the chamber side having a slope configured to translate a force from movement of the bolt into a downward force on the bolt latch to cause the bolt latch to retract into a housing.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a spring configured to apply a spring force to the bolt latch to push the bolt latch into a path of the bolt.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the force applied by the bolt is greater than a force applied by the spring when the bolt travels toward the chamber side of the bolt latch.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the spring is configured to advance the bolt latch into a bolt catch state and the bolt stop side of the bolt latch is configured to automatically engage and secure the bolt in a disengaged state after each discharge of the firearm.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bolt latch mechanism includes: a spring configured to engage a spring interface portion of the bolt latch mechanism; and a fastener configured to couple the bolt latch mechanism to a housing, the fastener defining a pivot point about which the spring biases the bolt latch mechanism into a path along which the bolt moves after each discharge of the firearm.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bolt latch mechanism further includes a latch stop configured to engage a lower surface of the housing to limit a distance the bolt latch mechanism extends into the path of the bolt.
 16. A method comprising: providing a bolt latch mechanism including a bolt latch extending into a path along which a bolt travels after each discharge of a firearm; securing the bolt in a disengaged state after each discharge of the firearm; and automatically advancing a next round of ammunition from a magazine including a plurality of rounds of ammunition into the path along which the bolt travels.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising releasing the bolt in response to a manual selection of a latch release button associated with the bolt latch to chamber the next round of ammunition.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the bolt latch mechanism comprises: biasing the bolt latch to extend into the path using a spring; and stopping the bolt latch from extending beyond a desired extent using a latch stop configured to contact a lower surface of a housing.
 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: automatically retracting the bolt latch from the path in response to movement of the bolt after each discharge of the firearm; and automatically extending the bolt latch into the path after the bolt moves past the bolt latch toward a stock of the firearm using a spring.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein automatically retracting the bolt latch comprises translating a force supplied by the bolt into a downward force on the bolt latch. 